How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

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Learn how to make homemade pumpkin pie spice blend from scratch using 5 basic spices from your pantry. It’s quick and easy and can be added to so many different recipes.

It’s the time of year when the temperature starts to dip and we all start pulling out our beloved sweaters again and wearing our comfy layers.

This is great news because it also means that it’s pumpkin season in our area. Lovers of the well-known spice blend may call it pumpkin spice season. Whatever you want to call it, our home will have plenty of pumpkin-flavored meals, desserts, and beverages to enjoy.

But the first thing on my to-do list is to create this homemade pumpkin pie spice blend. I’ll add it to so many pumpkin recipes that it’ll be nice to have a ready-made blend on hand.

What is Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of warm spices that pair well with pumpkin recipes and is typically made up of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, clove, and nutmeg. Rather than measuring out the individual spices, creating a cozy spice blend makes it easy to get that same great flavor in one easy step. 

Use it in traditional baked goods like pumpkin pie, sourdough pumpkin scones, and pumpkin bread. Or create amazing beverages like a pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin smoothies, or pumpkin spice milkshakes.

Why You’ll Love Making Homemade Spice Blends

• Convenient – Making a homemade spice blend takes just 5 minutes and will save you an extra trip to the grocery store.
• Simple to do – Creating your own pumpkin pie spice blend doesn’t get much easier than combining spices and placing them in an airtight container.
• Inexpensive – Why spend more money on a ready-made product when you can create one at home with the common spices you already have? While saving a few dollars to make your own spice blends doesn’t seem like much, it never hurts to save a few dollars every place you can, especially when you can with so little additional effort. 
• Customize – If you’re not a fan of a certain spice or have food allergies, making your own blend allows you to be in full control of creating what you want. 

How To Use Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

With so many great ways to enjoy pumpkin pie spice blend, it seems silly to save it only for pumpkin pie. Use it anywhere that you’d normally top with cinnamon.

• Sweets – The most well-known way to enjoy pumpkin spice is in bakery items like pumpkin muffins, pumpkin quick bread, or pumpkin bars. However, don’t stop there. Think outside the box and add pumpkin spice to other desserts like cookies, ice cream, or cakes. 
• Beverages – Add pumpkin pie spice mix to your favorite beverage like coffee, tea, milkshakes, smoothies, or mocktails for a fall-inspired drink. 
• Spreads – Mix into spreads like hummus, whipped honey butter, or cream cheese frosting. My favorite of all the spreads is maple bourbon pumpkin butter! It’s sweet, flavorful, and perfect for the fall season. 
• Breakfast – Sprinkle a little bit over your morning oatmeal, yogurt, granola, toast, pancakes, waffles, or French toast for an extra special touch.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Ingredients

• Ground cinnamon 
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground allspice
• Ground cloves

Tip: If your spices are older, make sure that they’re still good before you use them. Open each spice jar and smell the spice. The spices should have a strong, pleasant aroma. If you don’t smell much or it doesn’t smell like it should, toss it and replace the jar with new spices.  

How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend Directions

Measure each spice and place it in a small bowl.

Blend the spices mix with a small whisk or spoon. The ginger can clump, so be sure to mix it well to rid any clumps.

Pour the mixed spices into a spice jar or a small jar. A small funnel can make this step easier.

Label and store the jar of pumpkin pie spice at room temperature in your spice cabinet. This spice blend will last in a tightly sealed container until the individual spices expiration dates, typically 1-2 years.

What’s the Difference Between Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Pie Spice?

Both of these spice blends have similar ingredients but there are a few differences. Apple pie spice adds cardamon to balance out the sweetness of the apples. Pumpkin pie spice, however, omits the cardamon and adds ground cloves in its place. Despite the differences, you can use the two interchangeably in a pinch. 

Tips

• Use fresh spices – As spices age, their flavors begin to deteriorate. To ensure the freshest spices possible, I suggest buying the spices in their whole form and grinding them as needed.
• Use a funnel for easy pouring. 
• Store in a dark-colored jar – Spices degrade when exposed to light and air so it’s important to keep the jars in a dark place or dark-colored jars with tight-fitting lids. 
• Scale – Adjust the recipe to make as little or as much as you want. If you only have a handful of recipes in which you want to use pumpkin pie spice, then a small batch may seem like a better fit. However, if you plan to add it to everything like I do, then you may want to double or triple the recipe.

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and rate the recipe!